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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26540854">Of Hearts and Spades, and Other Kingdom Conspiracies</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/princeAmpora/pseuds/princeAmpora'>princeAmpora</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mechanisms (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Other, Working title, ashes gets forced to be an heir, basically the kingdoms are based on card suits, dr carmilla is a witch in the woods, jonny kills a duke and burns down the mansion, spades hearts diamonds and clubs, they all start around 16 and get older as it progresses, tw for kidnapping kinda, your rank is shown as a suit number</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:55:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,130</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26540854</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/princeAmpora/pseuds/princeAmpora</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ashes O’Reilly is not a noble. Not a true one anyway. But the Sevens need an heir they can manipulate to do their bidding once the King of Spades dies, and an orphan happens to sneak themselves into the palace garden and listen in just when they came up with a plan. </p><p>Jonny Vangelis is usually an Ace, specifically a two, but complications with a certain Jack of Hearts has him rankless and running. Luckily, the rankless former doctor Carmilla has agreed to smuggle him into the next Kingdom over and get him a job in the palace, for a price.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Briar Rose/Cinders (Once Upon A Time In Space), Dr Carmilla &amp; Jonny d'Ville, Dr Carmilla &amp; Nastya Rasputina, Ivy Alexandria/Raphaella la Cognizi, Jonny d'Ville/Ashes O'Reilly, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, The Aurora/Nastya Rasputina</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Ashes O'Reilly Is Not Having A Good Life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>RANKS:</p><p>Kings<br/>Queens<br/>Jokers<br/>Aces - a term for the entire population below Nobles.<br/>Jacks - basically Dukes or some form of noble below the royal family<br/>Twos - the lowest rank of Aces. the poor and homeless.<br/>Threes - lower class and workers<br/>Fours - middle class and shop owners like blacksmiths, butcher, bakers, etc<br/>Fives - lower class academics like teachers, librarians, doctors, researchers, etc.<br/>Sixes - mostly soldiers and guards, military ranks are the same and are shown by different symbols<br/>Sevens - anyone that works in the palace like royal academics, advisors, and such<br/>Eights - usually farmers or other people that control basic needs<br/>Nines - the highest rank of Aces. usually large business owners.</p><p>If you're at the top of your Rank, you are known as The (Rank)/(Rank) of (Suit) i.e. The Seven/Seven of Spades.<br/>If you are below the top, you go by (Name) the (rank) i.e. Jonny the Two, or in formal occasions, (Full Name) the (rank) of (suit), i.e. Jonny Vangelis the Two of Hearts.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ashes O’Reilly is not having a good life. Orphaned as a child, they now drift around the city, barely a Two. The only thing keeping them ranked is their usefulness, lighting fires with just about anything to keep the other children warm and fed with cooked food found in the nearby woods. Yes the orphanage had an adult to run it, but the old Three is bedridden, so the kids are left to their own devices. And damn it all to that woman, running them dry of medicine. Ashes opens the cabinet to find them out of poppies. They sigh and tell the others to wait, they’ll go look for some. </p><p>So, donning the only coat in the house, they head into the woods. And, after searching for what feels like hours yet the sun hasn’t set, they find nothing. Winter is, of course, coming. They sigh and turn around. There’s only one place that has poppies this time of year, the royal gardens. Ashes has had to sneak into the gardens before, of course, but the whole palace is heavier guarded over the winter. Nevertheless, they sneak towards the wall, separating the royal grounds from all the Aces around it. They find their usual hole, a small one behind the black roses, and wedge their way through. </p><p>They quietly peek through the roses, looking for any sign of the guards. Thankfully, the inside is quiet and empty. They go down the line of flowers and finally find the poppies. As they start picking the more hidden ones, they hear voices approaching. Quickly, they jump behind the bush. “We need someone young, Spades. Someone who’ll listen to us too, even though we’re out-of-kingdom.” “I know that Spades! Jeez you sound like your Jack.” Metal clinks as swords are drawn, “Hey now, calm down. We need to work together.” Two voices, “Yes, Clubs.” “Now, how about that tea?” “Diamonds, we need to think, not sit around drinking tea.” That’s a total of four people. “Well isn’t there an orphanage here?” Diamonds proposes, “Just pick one of them up, they’ll be happy to have a home.” “Hey, that’s a good plan,” Hearts says. “Yeah, and once we don’t need them anymore we’ll toss them into the woods. That old witch will have them.” “Spades, you don’t really believe in that story do you?” </p><p>Ashes stops listening. They need to get back to the others. They search for a way out… There, on the other end of the bush, some vines to crawl over the wall with. Maybe if they’re quiet enough… They crawl over and slowly start climbing. Over the bush now they’ll have to be extra quiet- “Hey! Who’s that?” Shit, Spades noticed them. They climb faster but a knife whizzes past their ear and lodges in the stone next to them. “You look like shit. How old are you?” Ashes takes a breath, “Eleven. I’m a rank two, and I really should be going.” “No, I don’t think you do. I’ve seen you around. You looked like a servant but now that I think about it… You’re an orphan, aren’t you?” </p><p>Ashes pats their pocket and- damn, of course they forgot their matches… Two hands pull them off the wall as they kick and scream. “Now, now, no need for all that! You’re gonna be real taken care of here!” Diamonds says, taking Ashes hand in what was supposed to be a comforting way. “Yeah, now shut up and come with me. We gotta get you a better outfit to see the King in. Or maybe you can just wear that, really get his pity.” Ashes fights still, but Diamond’s grip is strong. “I have to go back, please, I just needed the poppies for medicine, you can have them just let me go back!” Clubs takes the poppies from Ashes’ pocket, “Well, how about this, you cooperate and help us, and we’ll send these, along with some food and clothes, to the other orphans.” Ashes stops and thinks… “Make it weekly supplies.” “Monthly.” “Deal.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Jonny Vangelis Is Not Having A Good Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jonny Vangelis is not having a good day. His father had come home drunk as usual, but that bad part was when he tarted mumbling about a “Stupid Jack, taking all his money.” The issue with that is that the Vangelis family is broke. Just simple Two’s, Jonny’s mother had died after they couldn’t afford the medicine and his father decided to drink about it. Jonny tried his best to make money on his own and often stole money and food from the baker he “worked” for. But his father had made surviving difficult. Between the drinking, he would sometimes go try to gain pity from people on the streets. Apparently, he gained some from the Jack of Hearts, nicknamed One-Eyed Jack from an unfortunate assassination attempt, who challenged him to a little game. If One-Eyed Jack wins, the Vangelis’ will be forever indebted to him. If Jonny’s father wins, they get a huge loan. Spoiler alert: Jack won. </p><p>So Jonny dresses in the nicest outfit he owns - his usual white button up and a brown vest and pants that haven’t seen the light of day since his mother’s funeral - and makes his way down to One-Eyed Jack’s. It’s not too long of a walk, thankfully, and he arrives before the sun fully sets. “I’m the Vangelis son, I’m here to talk to the Jack.” His name gets him through the door and he’s seated at a table with the Jack himself. A cigar is offered and he declines, “I’m here to talk about the debt.” Jack nods as he continues his card game with some nobles, “I figured. You want to pay it off somehow, right? Without money?” Jonny nods, fiddling with the bottom of his vest. “Well you’re in luck my boy. I happen to need someone like you to do a job for me. In secret, of course. This isn’t something I can have on my reputation.” “What is it? I’ll do it!” Jack smiles and slides a box across the table. Jonny opens it to see a gun inside. The kind only royal guards get. </p><p>“I need you to ah… dispatch someone for me. They haven’t made their payment in time, you see, from drinking a whole barrel by themselves.” Jonny closes the box, “You… you want me to kill someone?” Jack rolls his eyes, “Yes! I know you’ve done it before. A guard’s body lying dead outside of the castle and a rare medicine missing, and your mother lives past her expiration date? Just do it. It’s not even anyone important, they won’t even be missed.” Jonny sighs and takes the box, “Fine. But this one job has to clear all of the debt.” Jack grins, “Of course. Now off you go!”<br/>
Jonny is escorted out and he holsters the gun. One of the escorts hands him a slip of paper with a location on it. He curses at the distance he has to walk and set to it. The gun is at least easily hidden and doesn’t draw attention, not that anyone looks at Two’s anyways. Arriving at the specified location, an old factory, Jonny looks around for his target. They should be the only person here, so that makes it easy. He walks down lines of brass pipes and iron wheels. Eventually he hears mumbling and sneaks his way over, unholstering the gun. Someone is standing in front of a boiler, but the steam around them makes it hard to see in detail. Jonny figures the outline is enough, and no one else is here, so that has to be his mark. He takes aim... and fires. </p><p>The sound reverbs through the metal factory and deafens him, but the figure falls. Jonny walks over to the body to confirm it. He flips the body over and… “J-Jonny...”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Ashes O'Reilly Is Bored (And Scared)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“The death of my wife has brought great sorrow to me and the entire kingdom of Spades. The hope for an heir was lost. But a new hope has come to light! The Seven of Spades, my advisor, has brought me an heir!” Ashes steps up to where the king stands on the balcony of his palace, addressing his aces. “This orphan was found starving in the palace’s garden. I have taken it upon myself to train this young urchin to be a worthy heir.” Ashes stands for a while as the King of Spades finishes his speech. Afterwards, they are dragged around the palace by the Seven of Spades as they’re told who they will be. Being left in their new bedroom, the only parting sentence was another order and a warning. “Your new name and rank is Heir of Spades. Mention the other Seven’s and I’s plan to the King or anyone else, and I’ll be sure to send some guards to do some ‘business’ at that orphanage.”</p><p>Ashes breathes a sigh of… they don’t even know the emotion they feel right now. They look around their new room. It was big. There are red flowers outside the locked window that showed the kingdom below. The walls are black with lines of brown wood. Brass pipes lead to a small, sectioned off area with a wooden wardrobe and brass tub. The bed has white silk sheets and a white canopy. There are bookshelves on the walls filled with books on etiquette and other things that royals need to know. For now, they sink into their sheets, waiting for some official to come by or something. Someone has to show them around the palace and tell them what to do. </p><p>Sure enough, a knock sounds at the door. A hesitant face pokes in. “Your Highness, uh, my name is Whit, a Seven and your personal attendant, I’m here to show you around the castle.” Ashes stands again and walks towards them. “Um, you have to change first…” “What?” It came out harsher than Ashes wanted and Whit flinches. “Sorry.” “That outfit is for public appearances. There is a less formal one in the wardrobe. I’ll wait out here for you.” Whit closes the door and Ashes walks to the wardrobe. They take off their black and white suit, corset, and tailcoat, then pull out a black tunic and trousers. They put it on and walk out of the room to Whit. “Ah, good! You look great! Now, the library is first. You won’t be using it until a scholar from the Clubs kingdom arrives to teach you, but you will be spending a lot of time there.” </p><p>Whit’s tour takes a long time because of his rambling, but Ashes doesn’t mind, he’s distracting them. He has a lot of energy for someone in such a small body, like a rabbit, hopping from one subject to another. Night has fallen by the time they get back to Ashes’ room. “The maids should have dropped off your night attire. Sleep well, your Highness.” Ashes smiles, “Thanks, Whit.” Whit blushes and runs off, probably to do whatever chores he had skipped out on. Ashes puts on the black silk night slip and gets into bed, drifting off to a fitful sleep full of nightmares of what could happen to the orphanage if they don’t comply with the Seven’s wishes. Maybe they can find a way to visit them soon…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Jonny Vangelis Is Scared (And Excited)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jonny cried. For the first time since his mother’s death, he cried. He had just killed his father, of course he cried, but now, those tears are from anger. He races back to the Jack of Hearts’ stupid pretentious mansion and kicks open the door. It’s empty except for One-Eyed Jack and his guards. “Ah, Jonny! Welcome back! And good job. I suppose you need a place to stay now, right? You could live with me, in exchange for a few jobs of course.” Jonny glares at the fucker, “I don’t need you, you sick bastard.” He unholsters his gun and aims at Jacks head, and all of the guards race towards him. He pulls the trigger before they can stop him, and Jack falls onto the ground with a hole in his head. </p><p>The next few seconds felt like slow motion. Jonny starts to laugh from the pure adrenaline and runs, gun in hand, to the bar, where he sees a lighter. He grabs it and smashes a whiskey bottle onto the ground near the guards, then flicks open the lighter and throws it on the puddle. Everything goes up in flames. He blocked his way to the door with that, but luckily there’s a window a few feet away. He jumps out of it and runs towards the woods as guards chase him. Once in the woods though, they don’t follow. No one goes into the woods and comes out alive, the witch usually gets to them, but Jonny couldn’t give less of a damn about a fictional witch right now. So he runs, deeper and deeper. </p><p>By nightfall, he is utterly and terribly lost. He shivers as the wind blows a big gust through the trees, then sits on a nearby stump. “You’re going to die out here,” I voice calls, and Jonny shoots up, pointing the gun at the voice. He sees a girl, about his age, by a tree. “W-who are you? The witch?” The girl laughs, “No, but that’s who saved me. She’s not actually a witch, just a rankless doctor.” Jonny is still hesitant to put away his gun. “Who are you? What’s your name? A-and rank!” She shakes her head, “Ranks this, ranks that. If you really want to know, I used to be a princess, but now, I’m rankless. My name is Nastya. Would you like to live?” Jonny hesitantly nods, “Then come with me. Dr. Carmilla will help you.” </p><p>Not knowing what else to do in such a situation, Jonny follows Nastya through the woods. They stop at a surprisingly big cabin. The two enter to see a young bout tired looking woman sitting at a table doing something with mechanical parts. “Doctor, I found a lost boy.” The woman sighs, “I told you to call me Carmilla. We’ve lived together for six years, Nastya.” She turns to look at Jonny, and glances at the gun he still holds. “So what did you do?” “What?” Jonny asks, confused. “You’re in the woods holding a gun and shaking. Did you kill someone? Are you on the run? If so, you can stay here as long as you need if you help around the house.” Jonny tenses at the mention of killing someone, but decides it’s okay to trust these people, and holsters his gun. “Several people, actually…” “Well you’re safe here. Nastya will show you to a spare room and tomorrow she’ll show you your chores.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Ashes O'Reilly Learns How To Be An Heir (And Doesn't Regret It)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It takes a week for the scholar from the clubs kingdom to arrive. She introduces herself on the afternoon she arrives as Belle Beauty, a Seven of Clubs. Whit takes them to the Library, where Belle sets up an area for her and Ashes to work. Whit leaves them be and Ashes tries to get along with Belle. “So… what’s it like in the Clubs kingdom?” “Terrible. We’re still rebuilding from the war against King Cole, Briar Rose and Cinders, the King and Queen of clubs, have a lot of work to do. The only reason I left is because Snow, another Seven and Briar’s Sister, said she could take over my work.” “Oh… So… Do you… like this kind of stuff?” “What, studying? Reading? Yeah. I like it. What do you like though, your Highness?” Ashes groans, “Please just call me Ashes. I like fire.” Belle laughs, “I better not catch you starting any fires around my library. Everything else is fair game.” </p><p>The two spent the first day just trying to get to know each other. “A good relationship makes teaching easier,” or whatever Belle said. Ashes just wants to not focus on their situation. The next day though, they begin working. They start of with what Belle said was easy, proper etiquette. Ashes mind swirl confusedly with table manners, different clothes for different occasions, and proper language. Belle stops them while they try to pronounce the name of a specific type of dress, “Let’s just start with one subject. You pick.” Ashes scans the chapters of the book and settles on doing them in order, “Fashion.” Belle nods, “Good choice, it’s the easiest.” </p><p>It takes another week for Ashes to know the ins and outs of proper attire, but Belle is a patient teacher. The next subject they study is table etiquette. Thankfully, Ashes understands it better, and they complete it in a few days. Next is proper language and general etiquette, that takes three weeks. It’s like Ashes has to learn a whole new language. Eventually though, they get a hold of it. “I’m very proud of you Ashes, you’ve done well. The next step depends on this question though; Will you be a sole ruler?” Ashes raises and eyebrow, “What do you mean?” They don’t think they’ll even be a ruler long enough for marriage. “Well are you going to marry? There’s princess Ivy from the Diamond kingdom, she’ll be Queen around the same time as you, and princess Aurora from the Heart Kingdom, who was named next heir after the royal family’s assassination.” Ashes shakes their head, “I don’t think I’ll marry.” Belle nods, “Then we’ll work on the tasks of sole ruling.” </p><p>One morning, before class, the King stops by Ashes’ room. They had talked before of course, but only briefly, and they aren’t very close with one another. “I want to thank you, Ashes. I know you weren’t expecting to get so high of a rank raise, but you’re doing your best, it seems, to learn how to keep my Kingdom safe. Thank you, truly.” Ashes smiles, he’s kind. It almost saddens them to know his fate to the Sevens. “I will take great care of this kingdom, I give my word.” Ashes walks back to class with Whit, and tries to push the Sevens’ plot out of their mind. </p><p>By the time Ashes is seventeen, they have learned everything they can about being the Heir and Ruler. Belle goes back to her own kingdom. For their birthday, they ask to visit the orphanage, and the King agrees, despite the Sevens’ protest. They arrive in a steam-powered carriage and the kids all race out to see them. They all finally have a healthy weight, and the mistress is even well enough to follow them outside. Ashes smiles with tears in their eyes as they talk with the kids. Ashes is scared about the future, but looking at how happy and healthy the others are eases that. They don’t regret a thing.</p>
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